On behalf of the State President, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) Don Tuan Phong presented the decoration to the EMWF at a ceremony in Hanoi on September 13.
Phong lauded the EMWF’s operation in Vietnam in the past three decades, and expressed his hope that the organisation will run more activities to help the country improve local wellbeing and living standards, alleviate poverty, and boost socio-economic development.
EMWF Chief Executive Officer Lynn Foden said it is an honour of the organisation to receive the order and thanked Vietnam’s public agencies and organisations, including the VUFO, for their assistance for EMWF projects in the country.
She unveiled that based on previous outcomes, the EMWF will continue designing and implementing projects in education, health, and community development, as well as natural disaster and poverty alleviation.
The EMWF was founded in 1988 by Vietnamese American Ly Le Hayslip, and is based in Oakland, California, the US. It aims at the improvement of wellbeing and social welfare for disadvantaged communities in Asia through sustainable solutions to clean water, environmental sanitation, personal hygiene, health and education.
Currently, the NGO has been licensed to establish a representative office in Hanoi and a project office in Da Nang. During 30 years operating in Vietnam, it has to date channelled more than 113 million USD into projects on building hospitals, schools, and charity houses; improving sanitation in society; organising educational and career guide programmes, summer camps and IT courses; granting scholarships; and carrying out free health check-ups and heart surgeries.
The EMWF has also run a number of small but effective projects on anti-human trafficking, natural disasters aid, and climate change adaptation, among others.
